Final
Longoria sets rookie mark as Rays drub Indians
Aug 6, 2008 - 4:27 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- It took a record-breaking night from All-Star Evan Longoria, but the Tampa Bay Rays finally broke through against the Cleveland Indians.Longoria broke the franchise rookie record for most home runs in a season as the Tampa Bay Rays ended a five-game losing streak to the Cleveland Indians with an 8-4 victory Tuesday.
Cliff Floyd and Dioner Navarro added back-to-back homers as the Rays won for only the fourth time in their last 24 games against the Indians.
The Rays improved to 12-6 since the All-Star break and maintained a three-game lead over the Boston Red Sox atop the American League East.
"We needed this," Tampa Bay right fielder Gabe Gross said. "They have an awfully talented group. After getting a win after five straight losses, it's big-time."
With Tampa Bay leading, 4-3, Longoria, Floyd and Navarro all homered in the seventh inning as the Rays built an 8-3 lead.
Longoria's home run off Rafael Betancourt was his 22nd of the season, breaking the Rays' rookie record set by Jonny Gomes in 2005. Ironically, Gomes was optioned to Class AAA Durham before the game.
"Longo's at-bat was really spectacular," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "He hit four balls in that at-bat, including the home run, that could've been homers."
Two batters after Longoria's home run, Floyd hit a solo homer off Betancourt. Juan Rincon replaced Betancourt and promptly surrendered the home run to Navarro, who finished with three RBI, including a two-run single.
"What makes us win is pitching and defense," Floyd said. "And timely hitting. We got the monkey off our backs with the Indians. We'll take this one and run."
Edwin Jackson (8-7) allowed seven hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.
"The bullpen was big," Jackson said. "They came in and did a great job."
"I wasn't getting the first pitch for a strike," Carmona said. "It has been difficult to get into a groove."
Indians starter Fausto Carmona (5-4) gave up four runs on only three hits in four innings. He walked five and struck out four.
Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer in the third gave Cleveland a 3-1 lead, but the Rays rallied for a 4-3 lead in the fourth on Navarro's single and Gross' RBI triple.
"It (the game) was annoying," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "We played a four-hour game, left 13 on, we had the lead early, got multiple opportunities to take the lead back or at least tie the ballgame and squandered those opportunities. It was a frustrating ballgame to say the least."
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 12 1
TAMPA BAY 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 x 8 10 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA, JENSEN LEWIS (5TH), RAFAEL BETANCOURT (7TH),
JUAN RINCON (7TH), EDWARD MUJICA (8TH) AND KELLY SHOPPACH
TAM - EDWIN JACKSON, J.P. HOWELL (6TH),
Aug 5 10:58 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY GRADY SIZEMORE SCORED ANDY MARTE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G SIZEMORE ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 4
TAMPA BAY 8 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: B FRANCISCO (.272, 0-FOR-1)
Guardians 4, Rays 8 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 5 10:29 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY DIONER NAVARRO (5) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF JUAN RINCON.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3, TAMPA BAY 8
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: G GROSS (.228, 1-FOR-3, RBI)
Guardians 3, Rays 8 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 5 10:19 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY CLIFF FLOYD (8) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF RAFAEL BETANCOURT.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3, TAMPA BAY 7
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: D NAVARRO (.301, 1-FOR-2, BB, 2 RBI)
Guardians 3, Rays 7 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 5 10:13 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY EVAN LONGORIA (22) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 7TH OFF RAFAEL BETANCOURT SCORED CARLOS PENA.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3, TAMPA BAY 6
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E HINSKE (.250, 0-FOR-3)
Guardians 3, Rays 6 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 5 10:08 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY GABE GROSS SCORED DIONER NAVARRO.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, G GROSS ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3
TAMPA BAY 4 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B ZOBRIST (.227, 0-FOR-1)
Guardians 3, Rays 4 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 5 8:35 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DIONER NAVARRO SCORED CARLOS PENA AND EVAN
LONGORIA.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D NAVARRO ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3
TAMPA BAY 3 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: G GROSS (.225, 0-FOR-1)
Guardians 3, Rays 3 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 5 8:30 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY JHONNY PERALTA (18) TO CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 3RD OFF EDWIN JACKSON SCORED KELLY SHOPPACH.
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 3, TAMPA BAY 1
DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: S CHOO (.244, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
Guardians 3, Rays 1 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 5 8:00 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY CARLOS PENA SCORED AKINORI IWAMURA.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B UPTON ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1
TAMPA BAY 1 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.276, 21 HR, 67 RBI)
Guardians 1, Rays 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 5 7:29 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CLEVELAND 1 1 3 0
TAMPA BAY 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - FAUSTO CARMONA
TAM - EDWIN JACKSON
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: A IWAMURA (.280, 5 HR, 32 RBI)
B UPTON (.269, 7 HR, 49 RBI)
C PENA (.232, 19 HR, 58 RB
Guardians 1, Rays 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 5 7:20 PM
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